MEMORANDUM

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff of two new eligibility requirements for Temporary Assistance (TA) applicants due to the Strengthening Missouri Families Act (Senate Bill 24, 2015) including the Temporary Assistance Orientation and Personal Responsibility Plan. In addition, there is a new fillable TA application. This application is not to replace the current interview process if an applicant wants this, but instead offer alternative entries for customers to apply for benefits. When customers come to Resource Centers or call, staff must offer the various methods of applying and offer to help with the process. These requirements are effective August 28, 2015.

Temporary Assistance Orientation

TA applicants are required to complete an orientation that provides information about the TA program rules and requirements prior to an eligibility determination for TA.

The orientation contains the following:

• Information requested on the TA application;
• TA Lifetime limits;
• Missouri Work Assistance program requirements, services and penalties;
• TA Drug Testing requirements and penalties;
• Required cooperation with Child Support; and
• TA cash benefit payment methods and EBT transaction restrictions.

Depending on customer needs and online accessibility, the customer can view online, view at a Resource Center at a computer, read the orientation, or staff will read the orientation to the customer.

The applicant is required to sign and date the section of the TA application indicating they have viewed the orientation. If the applicant fails to mark that they have viewed the orientation or sign indicating they have viewed the orientation, the application will pend.

Personal Responsibility Plan

TA applicants subject to work requirements are also required to complete a Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP) prior to determining eligibility for TA.

The PRP is located within the new TA paper application, and explains the exemptions and exclusions from work activities. If an applicant is not exempt or excluded they must indicate which employment and training activities they will be take part in if they are approved for TA.

Work and training activities an applicant may choose from are:

• Job Search Support
• Job Readiness Support
• Community Service Program
• Providing Child Care to a Participant in the Community Service Program
• Satisfactory Attendance at High School or Equivalency
• Job Skills Training Program
• College or Training School
• On-the-Job Training
• Employment

The applicant must also sign and date the PRP committing to participate in the work and training activities. If the applicant is subject to work requirements and does not mark any activities or fails to sign the PRP, the application will pend.

FAMIS Changes

The TA Work Requirement screen (FM8B/COMPACT) has been updated to include the following field “Orientation/PRP”.

The eligibility specialist (ES) must enter the appropriate code in this field based upon the information on the IM-1TA regarding the Orientation and Personal Responsibility Plan. The following are the acceptable codes in this field:

• BC     Both Orientation and PRP Complete
• BI       Both Orientation and PRP Incomplete
• OI       Orientation Incomplete
• PI       PRP Incomplete

Unless “BC” is entered, the TA application will pend until verification the applicant has completed both the Orientation and PRP is received. If this field is blank for a TA applicant, the case will produce an “Insufficient Data” (ISD) that must be resolved.

NOTE: All TA applicants must complete the orientation; however, those applicants who meet an exemption or exclusion to work requirements are not required to complete a Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP). If an applicant is exempt or excluded from work requirements and does not have to complete the PRP, staff should marked “Both Orientation and PRP complete” (BC) on the COMPACT (FM8B) screen so the eligibility determination can be completed in FAMIS. Future updates in FAMIS will correct this issue and staff will be notified when this occurs.

Staff will request verification using the Request for Information (FA325). The following information will display on the FA325 based upon the codes entered in the Orientation/PRP field:

PROOF OF	SOURCE
Orientation	“NAME” complete and sign Orientation
Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP)	“NAME” complete and sign PRP

The IM-3 Orientation and IM-3 PRP have been created for staff to use with individuals applying for TA in person at Resource Centers and are completing an interview with FSD staff. The forms are attached and will be added to the IM Forms Manual. Staff may send these forms with the FA325 when verification is needed.

Staff may copy/paste the following information in the “Special Instructions are Listed Below” section of the FA325. If a customer needs to receive both the IM-3 Orientation and the IM-3 PRP, these must be copied and pasted to separate FA325s or the signature will not display on both. If staff uses this option, they must print the FA325 locally and mail. If staff select the IM-3 Orientation, a FSD location listing must be included with the letter. The following text is included in the “FA325 O/P” attachment for staff use.

Orientation Needed:

YOUR TA APPLICATION CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT A
TA ORIENTATION. GO TO A FSD OFFICE SHOWN IN THE
ATTACHED LISTING, OR CALL 855-373-4636,
OR GO TO https://dss.mo.gov/fsd/temporary-assistance.htm.
::
I AGREE THAT I HAVE DONE THE TA ORIENTATION.
(CHECK ONE)____YES ____NO
_____________________SIGNATURE ___________DATE

Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP) Needed:

YOUR TA APPLICATION CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT
YOU CHOOSING WORK AND TRAINING ACTIVITES YOU WANT
TO TAKE PART IN. CHECK ACTIVITIES BELOW:
___JOB SEARCH ___JOB READINESS ___EMPLOYMENT
___COMMUNITY SERVICE ___ HIGH SCHOOL
___CHILD CARE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM
___JOBS SKILLS TRAINING ___COLLEGE OR TRAINING SCHOOL
___ON THE JOB TRAINING
____________SIGNATURE ___________DATE

If the applicant does not provide proof of completing the Orientation and/or PRP by the due date of the TA application, the ES should reject the TA application due to verification on the 31st day.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Provide TA applicant’s access to the Orientation online when they are in the office.
• Review TA applications to ensure the Orientation section is completed and signed
• Review TA applications to ensure the PRP sections are completed and signed if subject to work requirements.
• If using the attached “FA325 O-P” text, save to your desktop for future use.

Attachments:

• IM-3 Orientation
• IM-3 PRP
• FA325 O-P
• Text Version Orientation
• FSD Resource Center Location Listing

JG/am